This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Transcript levels for various enzymes and proteins involved in murine proteoglycan biosynthesis, core proteins, and GAG recognition are being quantitated by qRT-PCR. Parallel data for proteoglycan composition in mouse ES cells and differentiated cell derivatives was obtained by Dr. Robert Linhardt (RPI), who has developed analytical strategies for proteoglycan analysis. We are coordinating the information received from Dr. Linhardt's group and comparing the results with equivalent data from our qRT-PCR analyses. Transcript levels are being compared with the glycan structures associated with proteoglycans from the equivalent cell populations and all of the information will become part of the bioinformatics module for display and further correlation analysis.